Inside Rajkumar Hirani's OTT journey:Son Veer earned 'Pritam' role after multiple auditions, no shortcuts taken

Explaining the idea behind Pritam and Pedro, Rajkumar Hirani said technology has become an inseparable part of daily life, but many elderly people still struggle to keep up with the digital world. From booking train tickets to banking, almost everything has moved online. After reading several reports about cybercrime, he realised that while criminals have adopted new methods, law enforcement has also had to evolve. This inspired him to create the story of an honest police officer who is suddenly transferred to the cyber cell and must learn an entirely new way of solving crimes. The addition of Pritam, a young ethical hacker, brought a fresh dynamic to the story, with the contrasting personalities of the two characters driving the narrative. The emotional core of the series Hirani believes the true heart of the series lies in its closing song, which talks about apologising, forgiving, and making life's journey a little easier. While developing the story, he wanted it to be more than just a cybercrime investigation or a tale of friendship. According to him, the idea of forgiveness eventually became the emotional foundation of the series, giving it a much deeper meaning. Virender Sehwag finished his scene in one take Sharing a behind-the-scenes memory, Hirani revealed that former Indian cricketer Virender Sehwag completed his guest appearance in a single take. Impressed by his performance, Hirani jokingly asked him to do another take, saying it felt as though school had ended too early. He also recalled that when Sehwag was first approached for the cameo, he immediately agreed and even suggested a convenient date for the shoot, making the experience smooth and enjoyable. Why ordinary people make extraordinary stories Hirani said he has always believed that audiences connect most with ordinary characters. However, he added that their lives must be filled with meaningful conflict. According to him, even a simple character can become memorable if faced with extraordinary challenges. Without conflict, a story loses both its emotional depth and entertainment value. How OTT has changed storytelling Talking about the difference between films and OTT, Hirani said the basic principles of storytelling remain the same, but web series offer greater creative freedom. With no strict runtime, filmmakers can explore characters in greater depth and tell more layered stories. At the same time, he admitted that holding viewers' attention has become more difficult because audiences have endless viewing options and can easily switch to another show. Finding original stories is now a bigger challenge Hirani admitted that finding fresh ideas has become increasingly difficult. Every year, countless films and web series are released across the world, and audiences now have access to international content through dubbing and subtitles. In such a competitive environment, he believes originality is harder to achieve than ever before. For him, the biggest challenge is creating stories that keep viewers invested until the very end. Audience appreciation matters the most For Hirani, the biggest reward is not box office numbers but the audience's response. He shared that after the release of Pritam and Pedro, he received an overwhelming number of messages from viewers. Many told him they had planned to watch only one episode but ended up binge-watching all six in a single night. He said such appreciation is the greatest satisfaction any filmmaker can receive. Why Veer Hirani got the role Hirani revealed that he had decided long ago not to direct his son Veer's debut project. Instead, he limited his role to writing the story and producing the series, while Avinash Arun took charge as director. Initially, another actor had been cast as Pritam, but scheduling conflicts created an opening. Veer then expressed his interest in the role and went through a proper audition process. He first showed Avinash his stage performance in Letters of Suresh before auditioning nearly 15 scenes over several days. Only after watching his auditions did Avinash decide that Veer was the perfect fit for the character. About the series Set in Goa, Pritam and Pedro follows Pedro (Arshad Warsi), an old-school police officer who is unexpectedly transferred to the cybercrime unit. There, he teams up with Pritam (Veer Hirani), a brilliant ethical hacker. Together, the unlikely duo investigates kidnapping cases, cyber fraud, and other complex crimes. The six-episode series also stars Vikrant Massey in a quirky negative role, while Boman Irani and Mona Singh play pivotal characters.